Focus key for jubilant champion Marquez in Australia

PHILIP ISLAND, Australia: Newly-crowned MotoGP champion Marc Marquez admits his key concern going into Sunday’s (Oct 27) Australian Grand Prix at the demanding Phillip Island circuit is concentration. Marc Marquez of Spain speaks to the media at Phillip Island ahead of the Australian MotoGP Grand Prix AFP/William WEST The flying Spaniard stormed to victory in a pulsating race at Japan last weekend to secure his third straight world championship in the sport’s premier class, and fifth overall. With another title in the bag and three races of the season left, it would be easy for the Honda hotshot to relax – a failure of his in the past. But he is determined to keep his focus and not repeat previous mistakes in Australia after the euphoria of winning world crowns in Japan in 2014 and 2016. “The tactic is to concentrate,” Marquez, still only 25 and super consistent this season, said on Thursday. “I won (the world championship) in 2014 in Motegi and arrived here and I felt like I could do anything, and I crashed,” he said. “In 2016, I started to feel different (more mature), but I still crashed in the race and it’s something I need to concentrate on this weekend. “I plan to approach the race in the way I will approach the 2019 season and be focused.” While the championship has been decided, there is still plenty to race for in Australia and at the final two grands prix in Malaysia and Spain. Marquez’s key… [Read full story]